Medicare Part D Scam

2026 marked Medicare Part D’s 20th anniversary. Congress took about 40 years to enact this coverage, which is not meant to benefit seniors.  Rather it is a scam to enrich private insurance companies.

Part D is the so-called prescription drug program attached to Medicare.  I say so-called because it isn’t actually a Medicare benefit.  While Medicare rules govern the program, it is essentially fee based coverage provided by private insurance companies.  Medicare simply approves the insurance companies, which can be limited and vary state by state.  

Since Part D’s inception insurance companies have lobbied congress to make sure they are included. Insurance companies made sure they are wedged into the plan since there is a significant penalty for those signing up for Medicare at age 65 who opt not to sign up for Part D, even though they don’t need it. 

Currently Part D has $2,100 out-of-pocket spending limit that includes deductibles, copayments and coinsurance for covered drugs in your stand-alone Part D plan or one folded into Medicare Advantage, you won’t pay any more for your prescriptions for the remainder of the year.

It is left up to the individual to decipher the plans offered by the private insurance companies annually.  The alternative is staying with one company and absorbing any premium increases. A good example is the notice my wife and I received from Humana, the company we selected for 2026 coverage solely based on the monthly premium.  The monthly premium will go from $4.70/month to $18.30/month.  The deductible will go from $615 annually to $700 annually.  Since neither one of us even reaches the annual deductible or out-of-pocket limit we are paying for coverage just to avoid the penalties for not having a plan if our prescription drugs ever increase. We are paying the bulk of the cost for our prescription drugs out of pocket.

It does take some work annually to review the private insurance plans offered.  In most states those who need extra help wading through the plans can get help offered by state agencies.  No matter the plan, insurance companies will make sure they get their pound of flesh out of seniors.  

The Menard's Perfect Scam

There's always some project here on the farm that requires a trip to the hardware store, usually to Menard's.  It takes some planning as it is an hour drive for us.

Menard's has come up with the perfect scam of an 11% rebate on any purchase.  This requires sending an original receipt along with a form to someplace in Wisconsin.  After about three weeks a rebate coupon is mailed out.  The scam is that the coupon is enclosed in what looks like an advertising mailer and since Menard's has your address numerous mailers show up in the mailbox.  One needs to pay attention to what is a junk mailer and what is a rebate coupon disguised as an advertisement mailer.  In the past it has always been postcard sized with the coupon on the inside of a fold out card. I got used to watching for a postcard size advertisement to identify the rebate coupon, until this week.  Menard's totally changed the size and format of the rebate card, which I suspect was intentional.  It is now a trifold card and resembles any other junk mailer they send out.

Compared to the past rebate card it is larger and appears just like any other  advertisement they send out.  

Granted the is a small note on the front of the card that says "reveal your coupon," not "reveal your rebate," and I mistakenly assumed that was some kind of a coupon for vinyl windows which we don't need, so into the trash it went. I checked online and found out that the rebate had been mailed out a couple of weeks ago.  After digging through two bags of trash there it was.

Someone at Menard's has come up with the perfect scam.  Charge full price for product and leave it to the customer to get the rebate form and deal with mailing it to Wisconsin and wait for a rebate coupon.  They know that on a small purchase it isn't worth the hassle to go through that process and some won't even mail in the rebate request at all.  And once the rebate coupon is mailed out is is disguised as a junk advertisement mailer.  To top it off changing the format of the hidden rebate coupon to an even more junk advertisement causes some to pitch it out, as I did. In most cases it is forgotten over time.

It is not a cash rebate and it can only be used for another purchase at Menard's and the cycle starts all over again.  A frustratingly perfect scam to take advantage of human nature.

Message To Canada

America's convicted felon wannabe dictator president signed an executive order renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America.

Canadians should just ignore this moron and recognize that not all Americans are as unhinged as he is.

Big Bend Outrage

Bulldozers are ripping into one of America’s treasures at Big Bend National Park for more of convicted felon Trump’s border wall.

It isn’t enough that he has torn down part of OUR historical White House to construct an asinine “ballroom” and turned the place into a pimped eyesore with his gaudy gold fixtures plastered all over. 

Chief Pimp

Now he is forever scarring a formerly protected national site on his continued quest to trash America.

I’ve been watching the RV blogs and wondering where is the outrage for the ravaging of OUR national parks.  You would think this asshat felon president could shoot someone on NY Fifth Avenue and get away with it.  

Oh wait… he already said he could. 

Sign(s) Of The Times

NO KINGS 3/28/26

The protests included more than more than 3,300 organized events across the country that drew a combined estimated eight to nine million protestors. It was the largest single-day protest in American history.

RIP Joe

 

No King

 The next national NO KINGS demonstration is scheduled.

Speaking of NO KINGS:

• Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the younger brother of King Charles III, has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office. Police have not said what led to the arrest, but Andrew spent a decade as UK trade envoy.

• King Charles III said he learned of the arrest “with the deepest concern” and stressed that “the law must take its course.” Andrew is the first senior British royal to be arrested in nearly 400 years.

• Police previously said they were reviewing allegations that a woman was trafficked to the UK by Jeffrey Epstein to have a sexual encounter with Andrew, and claims he shared sensitive information with Epstein while serving as envoy.

• The former prince has denied all accusations against him and insisted he never witnessed or suspected any of the behavior of which Epstein is accused. He has not commented publicly on these more recent allegations of misconduct in public office.

How ironic that England, where they do have a king, has taken action all the while our Congress has been stifled getting to the truth of the Epstein cover-up by our American dictator and wannabe king and his corrupt minions.

RESIST.  DEFIANCE.